Westport Health Center opens new doors

The new 3,700-square-foot clinic area at the Westport Health Center is located on the back of previous building.

Starting Friday, Aug. 16, patients at the Westport Health Center were finally able to see the fruits of the past few months of construction.

The health center, operated by Elizabethtown Community Hospital, opened its new expanded clinic, which has been under construction since June.

Director of Community Relations Jane Hooper said patients will notice a change the moment they walk in the new doors.

“When you come in and register, you will have a little more private space,” Hooper said about the lobby of the new 3,700-square-foot addition on the back of the current building located on Route 22 just south of the hamlet.

Along with more space for patients with a larger waiting room and seven new examination rooms, there will also be more space for the staff.

“The storage areas alone are just going to make their lives so much easier,” Hooper said. “There will also be an area for the ambulance to pull up, and they will be able to get their stretchers through the door.”

“This is so much nicer for the patients and that is my main concern,” ECH Primary Care Clinics Manager Robin Dunning said. “This is an amazing expansion, and the staff has been looking forward to working in this new, clean, professional facility.”

The expansion provides a larger reception office and nurse station along with new offices.

“The work is essentially complete, aside from a few very minor things,” said Matt Nolan, COO at Elizabethtown Community Hospital. “The lighting was the final thing to be installed, as there was a slight delay at the factory, but that was completed (Aug. 15). Decorative glass panels will be installed to separate the lobby from the registration area within the next few weeks.”

Once moved into the new part of the facility, work will begin to turn the previous center area, which measures at about 2,000 square feet, into a space for storage, a workers’ break area and a board room.

“This building has had a lot of different lives and has been through a lot of different things,” Hooper said. “It was not the most effective space for a doctor’s office.”

Hooper said that the entire makeover of the facility is expected to be complete between the end of October and the beginning of November.